What is "heritage interpretation"?
Heritage interpretation is a methodology mainly developed by US joumalist Freeman Tilden, who wanted to find a way to more strongly engage visitors of national parks in the 1950s. Interpretation does four things: It PROVOKES visitors' curiosity and interest in what may be an unfamiliar topic or theme, it RELATES a historic, cultural, or natural site to visitors' own knowledge, experience, background, and values, it REVEALS the significance of the site, and it helps people ENJOY an educational experience. It's a set of methods used by many museums, historic sites, nature reserves, and other sites around the globe.
During both volunteer projects we will use methods of heritage interpretation to understand and interpret the Jewish cemetery in Zittau. The aim is to develop the historic site into a space, where Jewish life, death, and heritage in the region can be comprehended in a relatable way - on-site as well as on-line. Volunteers will get basic training of working with heritage interpretation, interpretive planning, and interpretive media.